'Feel Full' Chemical Could Be Future of Weight Loss

By
Rebecca DiLiberto

January 5, 2018

You may have heard of leptin, the hunger hormone, but is there a natural chemical that makes you feel full? Yes, according to British researchers believe they have found a way to fight against weight gain by making people feel full.

Researchers from the Imperial College London and the University of Glasgow published a small study, which looked into the effects of a fatty acid called propionate. Our bodies create propionate naturally when dietary fiber is broken down in our digestive system and the acid essentially tells us when to stop eating.

The researchers performed the study on 80 people, having them integrate propionate (in powder form) into their foods. Previous studies were performed on mice and showed that the acid could act as a possible appetite suppressant. The research team wanted to see if adding propionate to people’s diets could have a similar effect. While some study participants lost weight during the study, there was no statistically significant difference in weight loss between those who ate propionate with their food and those who didn’t.

Some doctors say the study results are promising but far from the miracle weight loss antidote.